Chapter 19

1. Chapter 19 Vietnam

2. KEY IDEA • To understand the Vietnam War, you must remember that the Vietnamese have a • VERY STRONG SENSE OF NATIONALISM! • For 2,000 years, Vietnamese fought off the Chinese • In the 1800s, the French created a colony in Vietnam • After WWII, Ho Chi Minh led an independence movement Viet Minh: Umbrella group of all nationalist movement groups • The US only saw Ho as a communist and therefore an enemy

3. Background • In 1954, The French lost to the Vietnamese • Ho Chi Minh, Bao Dai, Cambodia, Laos, France, USA, USSR, China, Britain met to discuss the situation: • GENEVA CONFERENCE • At the Geneva Conference they decided to divide Vietnam into two separate nations • NORTH: Ho Chi Minh • SOUTH: Ngo Dinh Diem • Diem declares South Vietnam a REPUBLIC

4. Background • The USA gets involved to keep South Vietnam from becoming COMMUNIST • The US and Vietnam refuse to hold electionsagreed on at Geneva • They were afraid Diem would be removedfrom power

5. NORTH VIETNAM SOUTH VIETNAM • HO CHI MINH • Communist • Groups: • Vietminh (Independence movement) • NVA: North Vietnamese Army • Viet Cong: Guerilla fighters Ho supports • NGO DINH DIEM • Republic (people choose leader) • Backed by USA

6. American Involvement • DOMINO THEORY: if a Southeast Asian country fell, others would soon follow • Eisenhower pledged support, sent in 675 military advisors • Kennedy was determined to prevent spread of communism, sent 16,000 “advisors” by 1963

7. Diem • Diem had military power, but not the support of his people • He imprisoned people who criticized his government • Filled government positions with members of his family • Took US money and paid corrupt officials • Moved peasants from ancestral lands to government-run communities • Forced Buddhist country to follow Catholic rules • Buddhist monks burned themselves to death to protest

8. Diem’s Downfall • Kennedy realized the struggle against communism couldn’t be won with Diem • Supported a military coup to throw out Diem • Surprised when Diem was assassinated while trying to flee • Kennedy was assassinated three weeks later • Communist guerillas, “Viet Cong” gained more territory, control, and loyalty in South Vietnam • Ho Chi Minh aided the Viet Cong throughout war “Charlie”

9. Johnson’s war • “I am not going to lose Vietnam, I am not going to be the President who saw Southeast Asia go the way China went.” • Gulf of Tonkin Incident: August 1964, The President said: North Vietnamese torpedo boats attacked the US destroyers in the international waters of the Gulf of Tonkin • Evidence was sketchy, many believed it was fake • Johnson asked congress for authority to protect the US against any more attacks • Gulf of Tonkin Resolution: gave President complete control over what the US did in Vietnam without a declaration of war

10. Johnson’s war • After winning the election of 1964, Johnson began a gradual escalation of the war, devoting more money and people to the conflict • Advisors propping up South Vietnam’s government • By 1965 the Viet Cong were expanding in South Vietnam • North Vietnamese had troops and supplies brought in via Ho Chi Minh Trail: supply route that passed through Laos and Cambodia

11. 1965 • February: Viet Cong attack at Pleiku killed 8 Americans and wounded 126 • Operation Rolling Thunder: bombing campaign over North Vietnam, March 1965 • General Westmoreland requested more soldiers • Answer is the DRAFT • Beginning of 1965: 25,000 • End of 1965: 184,000 • End of 1966: 385,000 • End of 1967: 485,000 • End of 1968: 536,000

12. How do I think American Escalation will Affect North Vietnam’s strategy? • I know that there are hundreds of thousands of soldiers going every year • I know that We have the best weapons • I think the NVA and Viet Cong will have “hand me down” weapons from the USSR and China • I know that the Vietnamese have always used guerilla tactics • I also know that in WWI, to get away from fire power soldiers went into the ground

13. Go to youngshistory.com • Open AMC, Files, Viet Cong Link • Click on images to view in greater detail • Assess WHAT Viet Cong tunnels were, how they worked, and why they might be a tricky foe • Open “Viet Cong Tunnel System” document and answer the questions

14. US Strategy • General William Westmoreland (US ground troop commander) ordered thousands of search-and-destroy missions to drive enemies out of their hideouts • Pacification: to win the hearts and minds of South Vietnamese people (to pacify, or calm) • Peaceful by day, Treacherous at night • Declining troop morale • Ambush, mines, booby traps • Napalm: incendiary device that shoots liquid fire

15. Read “Should the US Discontinue Involvement…” and answer questions • Hawk: Support the War • Dove: Against the War

16. Collins Type III • Was American Involvement in Vietnam Appropriate (Why I am a Hawk or a Dove) • FCA1- Content, strong central statement with at least 2 paragraphs backing it up • FCA2- Conventions, spelling, grammar, capitalization • FCA3- Organization, Three paragraphs • Introduction to Vietnam War, Answer to first question • Justification 1, with concrete examples • Justification 2, with concrete examples

17. Tet Offensive: 1968 • Tet: Vietnamese New Year, January 30 • Viet Cong & North Vietnamese launch major offensive • Surprise attacks on major cities and military bases • Attack American Embassy in Saigon • Turned back with HEAVY losses, Viet Cong won psychological victory • Demonstrates that Viet Cong could launch major attacks on South • Pictures on News in US makes some question war

18. 1968 Election • LBJ: “I will not seek, nor will I accept my party’s nomination” • Bobby Kennedy runs for Democrats • Richard Nixon: The war must end with honor, I have a secret plan to end it! • Bobby Kennedy killed after giving victory speech in California • SirhanSirhan, Palestinian killed him • Nixon Wins • VIETNAMIZATION: TURNING OVER FIGHTING TO SOUTH VIETNAM, GRADUALLY BRING TROOPS HOME • Secretly bombed Cambodia – thought escalating the war would bring it to an end

19. My Lai Massacre • US troops entered My Lai on search-and-destroy mission to find Vietcong • Killed at least 450 women, children, and elderly • Initially kept quiet, but soldiers eventually began to talk • “We weren’t in My Lai to kill human beings, really,” said Lieutenant William Calley, “we were there to kill ideology that is carried by- I don’t know – pawns.” • Calley convicted to life in prison

20. Pentagon Papers • 1971 • Revealed the history of US involvement in Vietnam since the Truman years • Government officials had been misleading the American people about the war for years

21. Americans React • Kent State University • Demonstrators set fire to campus ROTC building • National Guard sent in to control demonstrations • May 4: students gathered on grassy area for antiwar rally • Threw rocks and shouted at soldiers • Soldiers began to fire into the crowd, killing four students

22. 1972 – Nixon promises “peace is at hand” • Around the clock bombings of North Vietnam to force them to talk peace • Settlement reached in 1973: US withdraw all its troops, help rebuild South Vietnam • 1975: North Vietnamese invaded South Vietnam, by April they were in Saigon • US military rushed to evacuate • 130,000 evacuated • April 30, 1975: South Vietnam surrendered

23. Vietnam’s Legacy • 58,000 Americans dead • 2,500 Americans missing • 300,000 Americans wounded • Veterans were not given parades, instead targets of anger • 26th Amendment: 18 to vote • War Powers Act: President can only commit troops for 60 days

24. Read 18 Year Olds Get the Vote • 1. Why didn’t politicians want to lower the voting age? • 2. What three wars changed voting laws – and for whom? • 3. How do Amendments get passed? • 4. How long did it take to get the 26th amendment passed? • 5. What years (since 1972) has had the largest voter turnout for ages 18-24